Abstract
Saw dust, generated as a waste by-product of the timber industry finds limited industrial applications and are mostly discarded or incinerated, causing environmental problems. This paper discusses the isolation of cellulosic nanocrystals (CNCs) from two different varieties of commercially used timber viz. Gmelina arborea and Salvadora oleoides, through a chemically engineered hydrothermal process. The CNCs derived after a series of chemical pretreatments followed by hydrothermally assisted fibrillation and subsequent neutralization, were carefully characterized for their chemical composition and microstructural attributes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements demonstrate the fibrillation of the wood cellulosic fibers to ∼18–35nm diameter range, with nearly uniform lengths in the range of ∼101–107nm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra show the crystalline nature of the CNCs and corroborates to the spectra of known crystalline cellulosic derivatives. The photoluminescence (PL) studies showcase an interesting property of autofluorescence at ∼400nm with high quantum yields (∼59%), which is attributed to the presence of fluorescent subunits identified in the FTIR spectra. The results demonstrate a simplistic method for conversion of the saw dust to high quality, fluorescent, cellulosic precursors that can find novel applications in the manufacturing, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.